Caroline Wozniacki Primed for Indian Wells

With the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells less than a fortnight away, most of the games biggest stars are getting tuned up for the 1000 event.

Danish phenom Caroline Wozniacki, who will most likely enter the tournament with the tenth seed, comes in after playing her best tennis of the year at Memphis.

She came into the tournament as the No. 1 seed for only the third time in her young career, and both previous times she had ran the tables.

However, her first-round match was against Jelena Dokic, the Australian Open hero who knocked her out in the third round.

Caroline assured this time around, the result was much different. Playing at the top of her game, she disposed of Dokic in style, 6-1, 6-2.

"I thought I played very well and my serve was working from the beginning. I made nine aces and didn't face any break points. I got my revenge from AO [Australian Open]."

She continued the high level of play, only dropping one set in four matches leading up o the championship. She appeared destined for her first title of the 2009 season.

Her opponent would be long-time friend and doubles partner Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, an opponent Caroline had defeated twice in straight sets.

Ironically enough, Caroline and Victoria would be playing together in the doubles final following the singles final.

She didn't quite have the result she would have liked. Despite serving at 79 percent on first serves, Azarenka defeated her in 70 minutes by a tally of 6-1, 6-3. It was Azarenka's second singles title of the season, the first coming in Brisbane.

"She was playing great; I didn't feel I was playing badly. There wasn't too much I could do."

Wozniacki and Azarenka would win their first doubles title afterward, so it wasn't all bad for Caroline.

Following Memphis, she opted to not compete in Acapulco or Monterrey. In the couple weeks leading up to Indian Wells, she spent time at the St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis.

"It was an overwhelming experience and made me think about how lucky I am that I have my family and that I'm healthy and have no concerns."

She and her father/coach, Piotr Wozniacki, will head west to California to begin preparing. The main singles draw will be released on March 9.

Look for the Blonde Bomber to have another good showing on hard courts, after making it to the Sweet 16 in 2008, falling to Svetlana Kuznetsova.

She will have an easier road this year, since she entered the tournament unranked last year.